Amboyna Burl

[NGLJ]

Burls can look amazing but can be very tricky to turn on occasion. Attached is my first effort using Amboyna Burl for a fountain pen. The cap went well, but the barrel blew out on me when turning, despite using some thin CA. Later I realized that part of the problem was support during turning. Although there was a Delrin insert it was only about 2" into the blank, and I had drilled out to take a converter. I had made a temp mandrel from Delrin, while I await something much better from Rick Herrell. Patience is a virtue, and very necessary in woodworking! So with the next barrel I went very slowly, took great care, and succeeded. Supposedly, the mandrel from Rick will arrive tomorrow, but I need to cross into the US to pick it up.

 

[Curly]

Looks good.
How is the crossing these days? Last time I drove across was just over a decade ago and it wasn't too much of a hassle but the guards were looking stern and all business. 5 years before that it was a smile and a wave through.

 

[NGLJ]

It was very testy for a while, including sniffer dogs and undercar mirror inspections. It has now eased off, and depending upon who you get as a border guard it is actually quite pleasant with cordial greetings. I have a Nexus pass, which can make quite a difference, since you don't get one or get to keep it unless you have proven reliable. I go to Blaine, Washington to a mail drop. Their business has dropped of the edge of the cliff with much fewer people from BC purchasing in the US, resulting in staff layoffs. When this all "blew up" I wasn't sure how us BC folks would be greeted down there, but there is no obvious animosity. In fact the people at the mail drop have said that they would do the same under the current circumstances if the roles were reversed.

 

[Curly]

Thanks for the information. Saskatoon is a little too far to make quick crossings for milk and gas like in the olden days.

 

[MedWoodWorx]

Burls can look amazing but can be very tricky to turn on occasion. Attached is my first effort using Amboyna Burl for a fountain pen. The cap went well, but the barrel blew out on me when turning, despite using some thin CA. Later I realized that part of the problem was support during turning. Although there was a Delrin insert it was only about 2" into the blank, and I had drilled out to take a converter. I had made a temp mandrel from Delrin, while I await something much better from Rick Herrell. Patience is a virtue, and very necessary in woodworking! So with the next barrel I went very slowly, took great care, and succeeded. Supposedly, the mandrel from Rick will arrive tomorrow, but I need to cross into the US to pick it up.

Very nice work. Speaking about support i was thinking about a soft tipped live center or something like that. When i try to turn my ebonite sleeves (especially) i need something to support the tip, have you done anything like that? Am i doing something wrong?

 

[d_bondi]

I use the same mandrels that I would use for a resin or acrylic pen when I make my sleeves. They are supported from within and with a regular live center until the very last bit when I part them off to length. IF I need support on the end after that, I use my mandrel saver, it works great.

 

[NGLJ]

Thanks for the information. Saskatoon is a little too far to make quick crossings for milk and gas like in the olden days.

I can do the round trip from where I live in under an hour, one of the benefits of a Nexus pass.

 

[NGLJ]

Very nice work. Speaking about support i was thinking about a soft tipped live center or something like that. When i try to turn my ebonite sleeves (especially) i need something to support the tip, have you done anything like that? Am i doing something wrong?

I turn the cap insert to approx size using a Hinze tenon cutter. Then I drill and tap so that I can put it on a mandrel. Then I turn the cap insert down to as thin as possible to keep the finished size as small as possible. For the barrel insert I turn to size using the Hinze tenon cutter. Then I cut the cap thread. Then drill and tap for the section. Then onto a mandrel where I reduce the size of the part that gets glued into the wood. That away, again, you can reduce the diameter of the barrel without affecting the cap thread. With care you can get the finished diameter of the barrel to just slightly larger than the cap thread without risking a breakthrough to the insert. I like "slim" pens .